The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1887-12-30
WRECKS ON THE COAST.
The Severest Gale for over Twenty
Years at Old Orchard.

Especial to the Press.]
OLD ORCHARD BEACH, Dec. 29.-The gale
last night was the severest here for over
twenty years. All thoughts were centred on
the schooner Eva May which has been
ashore on this beach since week ago last
Sunday As the storm increased with the
coming tide, it was predicted that she would
break up during the night, and many went
down on the beach about nine O'Clock to see
the wreck. The mate and cook have staie
on the schooner since she has been ashore
but last night, as the storm increased they
thought land was good enough for them, and
came on shore before sunset. The wind
shrieking through the rigging, the roaring Of
the surf and the spray flying mast head
high combined to make it wild night.
Since the schooner came ashore, she has
been lying with her brcadside to the sea
and the tides which have been running low
have come but few feet farther up the
beach than she was.
Last week, Capt. Tenney, of Portland, who
took the contract to float her, put down a
$500 pound anchor, backed by smaller one,
and made large hawser fast to them, ,oring-
ing one end in over the stern. This wa.
passed round the windass and "hovt
taught" and but for this the Eva May would
have been a sorry looking sight this morn.
ing.
As the tide came up the huge waves lifted
the schooner and swung her bow inshore
the hawser keeping her stern out. In this
position she remained all night and hel
captain and those interested were very much
pleased when they visited her in the morn.
ing.
This morning a crew of men were put on
board and an attempt made to pull her off by
means of the windlass and hawser. They
succeeded in moving her out about twenty
feet before the tide fell and tonight at high
tide tugs will be here from Portland and, II
is hoped, pull her off. 1t was, by no means,
an easy task putting the men on board this
morning
1t was expected that many buildings about
here would suffer by the gave but no serious
damage was done save at the Gorham House,
where one end OF the carriage house was
blown out
In 1864 such storm as that of last night
visited this part eff the coast, and from the
piazza of the Old Orchard House seven
wrecks could be seen the morning after the
gale.
The RockIand List.
RocKLAND, Dec. GA southeast gale
ragged here all night with unparalleled fury,
doing great damage to shipping in this har-
Dor. washing away wharves and wood. blow
ing out windows, tipping over chimneys and
inflicting other damages. One hundred feet
of the wharf and shed of r. w. MesseI
were washed away. The schooner Mary
Snowman, Capt. Bunker, of Gouldsboro
was badly damaged and sunk at the wharf
and the schooner Revolution, of Harrington,
had her stern smashed. The schooner Fill
more, of Harrington, broke from her moor.
ings and grounded, and is nearly a total
wreck, while the schooner Abico, of Blue
Hill had her stem stove. A section of Perry
Brothers wharf was washed away, with a
quantity of wood. The schooner Cyn0sure,
of seventy-three tons, Capt. Gray, owned by
A. j. Bird & Co., of this city, broke from
her moorings and went on the rocks, going
to pieces. There was no insurance
Schooners Leonessa, Lady of the Ocean and
Emma l.. Gregory sustained minor Injuries
Telephone lines are prostrated and nc
reports, have been received from st. George
Tenants Harhor and neighborhoods.